Lies, Doubts and Confessions
by PrehistoricCat
Summary: A figure from Abby's past fires up old anger... but it's only the start of Abby's nightmare.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Not mine, no copyright intended**

**A/N: With many thanks to BritGirlatHeart for her much needed assistance and supplying me with Connor shaped chocolate cookies to keep the muse going during a difficult time**. ** Comments and love are needed now more than ever.**

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><p>Abby had had the feeling that someone was watching her for days now, but she'd tried to dismiss it. She was still jittery from her time in the Cretaceous; even the slightest noise had her looking over her shoulder and reaching for an imaginary weapon. She knew it was crazy, but it had become an automatic reflex over the last year and one she would not be able to shed easily. The phone had rung twice and there was no-one there when she answered it, and now she was certain that the man sitting in the car opposite was watching the flat.<p>

It only seemed to occur when Connor wasn't around as well, which made her wonder if she really was just being paranoid. She didn't want to become clingy and only leave the flat with Connor, but she was now starting to feel sick at the thought of being alone. She had to tell him her fears.

"It's probably nothing, just me being silly," she said, as Connor squeezed her hand.

"If you're uncomfortable, then it _is _something. I want to help." At that point, the phone rang. The sheer look of terror on Abby's face told Connor that this was more than a case of the jitters and he needed to take control. He answered it, told them they weren't interested then put the phone down. "It was just a telesales person."

He sat next to her on the sofa and she rested her head on his chest, feeling safe in his embrace. "If you think there's someone watching you, then I'll set up some CCTV cameras – one over the front door, one over the back and one facing across the road. We'll catch him doing it and go to the police. We'll go and get them tomorrow. For tonight, I'll set up my camcorder to record across the road where you saw that car."

Abby smiled. Trust Connor to come up with a hi-tech solution. He was already on his feet and heading for the cupboard where all their stuff from the old flat had been stored. It was nice to see Connor getting himself lost in an electronics project again after their year away. Whilst he had enjoyed fashioning together crude anomaly detectors from metal objects and making weapons for them to use; this was where he was at his happiest.

The following day, Connor dragged her round various stores buying everything he thought they'd need. Abby thought that maybe he was going a little over the top, but it did make her feel safer. He spent hours putting it all together and angling the cameras correctly as Abby watched him.

"I really appreciate this you know; doing all this just because I thought someone was watching me," she said, kissing his cheek.

Connor blushed. "We should have some decent security around here anyway because of what we do. Tomorrow I'll see if Jess can patch into it from the ARC like she does Matt's place. I'm certain the others all have remote security as well."

-o-

True to his word, Connor worked with Jess to make sure the CCTV could be accessed at the ARC just in case. Abby felt more relaxed, there'd been no more evidence to suggest someone was hanging around watching them and after a few days, she'd almost forgotten about it... until a bunch of flowers was left on the doorstep. Connor found them, and brought them up. "There's a little card – Someone's got a secret admirer!" he laughed, handing her the card that had 'Abigail' written in fancy handwriting on the envelope. He disappeared into the kitchen with the flowers, muttering something about needing to get them in water. He was gone for several minutes and when he returned Abby was still stood frozen to the spot, staring at the unopened envelope.

"Aren't you going to open that? I'm curious to know who my competition is!"

Abby didn't move.

"Abs? What's wrong?" He placed a hand on her shoulder and she practically leapt out of her skin. "Abby? What is it?"

Silently, Abby handed him the envelope. She was shaking, and her face had turned white. "It's him."

Puzzled, Connor opened the envelope. The note inside read '_Abigail, I know its a week early but I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday. I'm in the area for a few days and I'd like to say hi if you'll let me. Best wishes, Ste x_' Connor felt his stomach twist and his blood boil. "How dare he?" Connor spat, pulling Abby into his arms. "It's OK, I won't let him anywhere near you."

Abby began to sob hard, allowing Connor to hold her so tight she could barely breathe. 'Ste' was her Step-father, Steve, and she hadn't seen him since she had left home almost 10 years ago. She could hear his voice now, hissing at her as his hand slapped across her cheek. During the 18 months that he was married to her mother, he had raped Abby twice and hit her on numerous other occasions. When he tried to rape her for a third time, Abby had retaliated and sought refuge at one of her teacher's homes. That teacher had saved her life; helped her and Jack with Social Services and then supported her through the trial that eventually convicted Ste and put him in prison.

After a few minutes, Abby pulled away from Connor. "What do I do, Connor? It was him watching me, I know it was!"

Connor nodded. His mind was racing; thank god he'd set up the CCTV – he would be able to go through the recordings and see who had delivered the flowers. He skimmed through the day's recordings, scrutinizing anyone who came close to their doorstep. Abby pulled up a chair and sat beside him, watching the screen and tangling her fingers into his hair. "They were probably delivered by a courier, or the shop delivered them... he wouldn't bring them himself."

"Probably, but if we knew who did deliver than we can make some enquiries about who placed the order." Connor sighed, fixing his gaze on the images on the screen. At just after 2:30 on the CCTV, a van pulled up and a woman got out carrying Abby's bouquet. She knocked a few times, then left them on the doorstep before driving off. It was as Abby suspected, the van was from the local florist in town. "I'll call them," Connor said.

"Forget it. I doubt they'd give personal information out."

Connor had to agree, as much as he hated the fact. "I thought his sentence was 15 years?"

"It was. He probably got parole for good behaviour or something." Abby sank down onto the sofa, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I don't understand how he found me though. I haven't had my address listed for years for this very reason, and we haven't been here that long anyway."

"He's probably breaking all of his parole terms by making contact with you; you should go to the police with this, Abby."

Abby shook her head. "No police, Connor. If I let him get to me, then he's won again. When he realises he's not getting a reaction from me, he'll give up." She leaned into Connor and kissed his cheek.

"It's your call, Abby. But I'd rather..." he stopped, seeing the look in her face. Connor knew better than to argue with her once her mind was made up. "OK, here's the deal. We don't go to the police, but you don't go anywhere without me or at least one other person for a while. Promise me?"

Reluctantly, Abby agreed. She hated having to rely on someone else; she had always valued her independence – still, hopefully it would all blow over in a few days and she could push Ste back into the deep recesses of her mind.

-o-

Connor had been driving Abby crazy for the last three days, and she was about ready to hit him. She knew he meant well and that he was only looking out for her, but she was starting to feel smothered. She heard herself snapping at him, then felt guilty when she caught the hurt look in his face. When this was over, she'd make it up to him; take him out for a meal at the Italian place he liked by the railway station then maybe go to the cinema and see that new 'X-Men' film he kept going on about.

The weekly trip to the supermarket was stressful at the best of times, but it was even more so with Connor being so protective. When an elderly lady accidentally knocked into Abby, Connor sprang at her like an angry tiger and Abby had to drag him away, and then he started walking on slightly ahead to check 'the coast was clear' before they carried on around the corner to the next aisle. If Abby didn't know any better, she'd say he was actually enjoying this.

"For the love of..!." Abby finally flipped. "Connor, please! You'll end up having a heart attack at this rate! Why don't you go and pick out a couple of pizzas for tonight, and I'll go and find some beers. We can have a nice dinner in front of a DVD."

Connor sighed, pouted, then headed off in the direction of the counter where they made the fresh pizzas. As he queued, he glanced over his shoulder so that he could see Abby. She was in the drinks aisle and he could see her crouching down comparing the prices- and then he saw a man approach her. Connor ran as if his life depended on it, his heart pounding. He just knew the man was Ste, and as he got closer the look on Abby's face confirmed his fears.

"Get away from her!" Connor pushed the man, adrenaline surging through his veins.

"Excuse me?"

"Connor, calm down. It's OK." Abby gave Connor a look that meant 'let me deal with this my way'. They had learnt to read each other so well in the Cretaceous because there were some situations where even a whisper would give them away. "This is Ste, my step-father." On the surface, Abby was calm, but Connor could hear something in her voice that made him feel sick. She was scared.

Connor slid his arm possessively around Abby's waist, then held out his free hand to shake Ste's. "Connor. I'm Abby's boyfriend." He didn't smile and it took all his willpower to not land a fist on this despicable man's jaw.

"Good to meet 'ya. I heard Abigail got herself a man at last." Ste shook Connor's hand. "Listen, I was just about to suggest going for a coffee or something. Is there anywhere decent around here?"

"Abby and I are busy," Connor said immediately.

"Actually, Connor, I'd like to have a chat with Ste... alone." Abby looked at Connor.

"What? Abby, are you crazy?"

"I understand your concern, Connor," Ste said. "Abigail and I have an unpleasant history, but I want to put all of that behind us. Ten years is a long time, and I'm sure both of us have changed."

Abby nodded, swallowed nervously then suggested that they meet at a little tea-shop opposite the church called 'The Copper Kettle' in about half an hour. Abby figured it would give her time to convince Connor that she needed to do this.

-o-

"I still don't like it, Abby!" Connor hissed, squeezing her hand as he held it across the table.

"I need to have some closure on this, Connor, and the only way I can do it is to let him know that I am not the little girl he used to push around and abuse and that he can't intimidate me any more." She squeezed Connor's hand back. "I will listen to what he's got to say and then tell him to stay out of my life for good. If he refuses, then we'll do it your way and go to the police."

"Promise me you'll wear this so I can hear what's going on?" He handed Abby his black box recorder and earpiece from the ARC.

"You carry your black box around with you?"

"Not usually, I just forgot to take it out of my pocket after the anomaly yesterday. Please Abby? I'll be sitting at the other end of the shop and I'll be listening in. If things get difficult then I can come over." He looked at Abby with those pleading, puppy dog brown eyes that Abby found hard to say no to.

Abby gave in. "OK, I really don't think its necessary. Ste won't try anything in public and I can handle him. But if it makes you feel better, then I'll wear it." She clipped the small black box to the waistband of her jeans and slid her own earpiece into her ear, hiding it with her hair. Connor slipped his earpiece on too and nodded.

Ste arrived, and was stood in the doorway of the shop looking around for Abby. He made eye contact with Connor first, who gave him a glare before moving away. Connor hated this and he couldn't understand why Abby would even want to breathe the same air as that man, but he respected Abby and had to let her do things her way.

-o-

From his table, Connor could see Abby quite clearly. He was proud of the way she was conducting herself. So far, the conversation had only been small talk, but Connor could tell from Abby's body language that she wanted to move things along.

"Connor seems a nice man," Ste said. "You met at work right?"

"We did." Abby suddenly felt uncomfortable. How did he know that? OK, so it could have been a lucky guess; lots of couples meet at work, but this didn't feel right.

"Was he kidnapped with you too?"

For a moment, Abby was dumbstruck. When they didn't return through the anomaly, the ARCs PR team concocted a story for the family and friends to explain their disappearance. They'd been told that Abby, Connor and Danny had been taking part in an archaeological dig in Nigeria when they were kidnapped by some unknown terrorist group. There was only one way Ste could know this story, and it also explained how he'd found her.

"You've spoken to Jack I take it?" Abby leaned back and folded her arms.

"I got out of prison just over a month ago," Ste began. "Jack was easy to track down, he hasn't moved very far away. Like you, he was willing to listen to me and we spent a good afternoon catching up. I know I'm not your real father, but it matters to me how you two turned out."

Abby heard Connor swear in her ear, and she had to stop herself from responding to him. She was glad she couldn't see his face from where she was sitting.

"Must have been terrifying for you; out there and not knowing whether you were going to live or die?"

Abby nodded. "We helped each other through it, and we've come out of it as stronger people."

"I expect the compensation money helped too?"

Ah, so now it was all clear. He hadn't come to seek forgiveness or show her he had changed – he could smell money. "It helped us get ourselves back together if that's what you mean."

"Jack says you helped him pay off some gambling debts as well. Nice of you to help your brother out like that. Family matters doesn't it?"

Abby was seething; how could Jack be so stupid as to not only tell Ste that she had money, but to then tell him where she lived as well... "OK, forget the crap and cut to the chase, Ste. How much?"

"Ten thousand should do it. Enough to help me find a new place to live and get back on my feet – you understand how that feels right? I'll find somewhere well away from here and you'll never have to see me again."

Before Abby could respond, Connor was looming over the table, red faced and a look of thunder on his face. He grabbed Ste by the shirt collar and was hauling him to his feet. "Get out!" Connor yelled.

"Connor, it's OK!" Abby yelled back, trying to pull him off Ste, but Connor was too strong, too determined and he just shrugged her away. He had his fist raised and Abby could see the muscles and veins in his neck tightening. She'd never seen this side of Connor before and it scared her.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill him, Abby!" Connor gasped, fighting against himself. "How dare he ask for money from you after what he did! He should be paying you!"

Ste had a look of sheer terror on his face. He couldn't move and he was shaking from head to toe. "Connor, stop it now! Please!" Abby pleaded.

To her relief, Connor loosened his grip and Ste was able to slink back. He rubbed at his throat where Connor had pulled his shirt tight and glanced at Abby. "I'm so sorry, Ste. Connor's just..."

"I understand, Abby. Your boyfriend is looking out for you, that's all."

The shop owner came over and asked them to either leave or calm down and threatened to call the police. Abby assured him that it was a misunderstanding and that Connor and Ste would sit down and talk this over like rational adults. The owner eyed them both suspiciously and walked away, glancing over his shoulder.

"Right, we do this my way!" Abby said, looking from Connor to Ste. "I don't know what Jack told you, but the money I received has all been spent. Connor and I came back to nothing except for a few personal items that were put into storage for us. We had to start completely from scratch. Yes, I did help Jack out with a few debts but it was merely a loan which he has promised to pay me back at some point." She took a deep breath. "And even if I did have that kind of money, you're the last person I'd give it to! Now, get out of here and I never want to see or hear from you again. If I so much as sniff you hanging around, I'll be on the phone to the police reporting you for breaking your parole agreement and you'll be back inside as fast as I can click my fingers."

Ste stood up, sniffed and began to make his way towards the door. "Can't blame me for trying though eh? All I want is to start a new life."

Connor was on his feet and ready to launch another attack on him, but Abby dragged him back. "It's over, Connor. As soon as he is out of that door I will never have to see him again." Connor sank down onto his chair, looking resigned to the fact that this was the way Abby wanted to deal with the situation. Abby hoped it would be the end of it, but as they drove home, Connor broached the subject again.

"We should still go to the police you know, Abby. That was attempted blackmail back there and he..."

"I said, it's over. I don't want to hear any more about it, or Ste or Jack or the money."

"Jack, ha! Wait till I see him! I can't believe that little idiot told Ste where you live! He's an absolute..." Connor didn't finish his sentence. There was a screech of brakes as Abby brought the car to a halt.

"Get out!" she yelled.

"What?"

"You clearly don't have any consideration for how I'm feeling right now, so I don't want to be around you. You can walk home and think about it for a while!"

Connor could see the anger written very clearly on her face, and he knew he'd taken a step too far. Without another word, he got out of the car and stood on the pavement as he watched her drive away. He waited for a few minutes, convinced she'd come back for him, but she didn't. He really was in the bad books this time. Deciding that perhaps he should stay away for a couple of hours, he made his way to the bus station. He was overdue a visit to Duncan anyway, and he could lie low there for while without being asked any awkward questions.

-o-

Abby's mood had not improved by the following morning; she was still angry with Connor, but for a different reason. She'd waited up for him until about 2am when she'd fallen asleep on the sofa. It wasn't like him to not at least call, and she'd tried his mobile at least 10 times but it was just going straight to his voicemail service. She could picture him sulking somewhere, no doubt complaining about how unreasonable she'd been and suspected he'd probably ended up playing computer games at Duncan's and lost track of the time. When she woke at 3am, there was still no sign of him and she began to worry. What if he'd been in an accident or had been attacked? Surely the police would have called her by now if he had? Dialling his mobile one last time, Abby sighed and gave in. She went to bed and found herself burying her head in her pillow and sobbing, finally allowing herself to release the emotion she'd been holding back. Right now, all she wanted was to be held by Connor and he wasn't here because she'd pushed him away when she needed him most. It was the story of her life.

She went about her usual morning routine and half expected to find Connor waiting for her when she got out of the shower. When he still hadn't made an appearance by the time she'd made a pot of coffee, she grew increasingly concerned. She was about to call the police when she heard the sound of a key turning in the front door lock. Moments later, a rather dishevelled Connor appeared.

"Connor! Where the hell have you..." she stopped. He looked dreadful. He looked like he'd been dragged through a hedge backwards; his t-shirt was torn, his jeans covered in mud and he had a cut above his left eye. "What happened? I've been so worried about you!" She went to hug him but he pulled away.

"Duncan and I had a few too many beers in the pub and I fell over as we walked to go and find a taxi. He decided to take me back to his, thinking you'd be angry if I turned up here in that state, and I fell asleep on his sofa. I'm sorry, I should have called you."

Something didn't feel right, but Abby had to take him at his word. He did smell of stale beer and cigarettes, so he probably was telling the truth but she still felt uneasy. "Go and get a shower, and I'll make us some breakfast. Then I'll see to that cut and we can have a proper talk eh?"

Connor simply nodded and went to find a clean towel in the airing cupboard. As he headed towards the bathroom, there was a loud knock on the door. Abby looked nervously at Connor, and he went to answer it.

"Is this the home of Miss Abigail Maitland?" Two well dressed gentleman were stood on the doorstep.

"Who's asking?" Connor said, immediately raising his defences. One of the men reached into his inside pocket and pulled out an ID badge.

"I'm Detective Sergeant Appleby, and this is Detective Constable Walton from the Metropolitan Police. We do need to speak with Miss Maitland as a matter of urgency," the older of the two men said.

"That's me. You'd better come in." Abby appeared at the doorway and moved aside to let the detectives inside. She led the way into the lounge and Connor followed them. "Take a seat."

"That won't be necessary, Miss Maitland, but thank you. Can you just confirm your relationship to a Mr Stephen Armstrong?"

Abby sighed and Connor rolled his eyes. What had Ste done this time? "He's my step-father." Abby stated simply.

"I'm sorry to have to inform you, but he was found dead in his room at the B&B he was staying at earlier this morning."

Abby couldn't speak or move. She felt Connor's arm move around her shoulders and could hear him speaking, but nothing was registering.

"Dead?" Connor asked. "But that's impossible! We only saw him yesterday afternoon, and he was fine. How can someone just drop dead like that?"

"There's no easy way of saying this, so I'll get straight to the point." The sergeant turned to Abby. "Miss Maitland, it appears that your step-father was murdered. He had two stab wounds to his chest and there were signs of a struggle in his room. We have a forensics team at the scene now trying to gather as much information as possible."

Abby didn't hear the rest of the conversation. The room began to spin and she fainted.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: not mine, no copyright intended**

**A/N: Thank you to those that have already left comments, or added to alerts and favourites - always appreciated. For those that were wondering whether Connor could have committed murder, you're not alone...**

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><p>The next few hours had all been a blur. Once she'd recovered from her brief fainting attack, Abby let Connor do most of the talking; she was too shocked to take it all in. Connor related the events of the previous day; the detectives made a few notes and then left. The inevitable question had been asked "Can you think of anyone who might have reason to kill Mr Armstrong?" Connor had almost choked and asked if they were kidding. They were aware of Ste's conviction, and Abby felt like she was being accused of murdering him.<p>

After the detectives left, Abby broke down in tears and Connor enveloped her into his embrace. He stroked her hair and whispered that it would all be OK. After a few minutes, Abby pulled away and sniffed. "You stink!"

"Sorry, yeah... I was about to go and take a shower before the police arrived wasn't I." Connor smiled. Abby placed her fingers on Connor's forehead next to the cut. It was still bleeding and he winced a little as she touched him. "Probably should let you clean that up for me as well, eh?"

Abby nodded and watched Connor disappear into the bathroom. It was only when he closed the door that she remembered that he'd been missing all night. He'd said he fallen over after a few too many drinks; suddenly she started to question his story in her head. Connor rarely got drunk; he'd told her once he'd had a bad experience at University and now he kept a very tight check on how much he was drinking. It didn't seem right that Duncan would tell Connor not to go home either; he probably would've dumped Connor into the back of a taxi. As she heard the shower begin to run, Abby had a flashback of a certain night in the Cretaceous. She'd told Connor about Ste; the abuse, the rapes, the trial... his whole body shook with anger and he declared "If I ever got my hands on that bastard, I swear I'd..." She'd placed her finger on his lips and told him it didn't matter any more because it was in her past and she had moved on.

She shook her head; she had to get that out of her mind. Getting angry and actually doing something about it were totally different things, and Connor was the least aggressive person she knew. The police forensics team would do their job, they'd find who killed Ste and then it would all be over with. He didn't matter to her any more and he was out of her life. What mattered now was Connor. That cut on his head seemed quite bad; it might even need stitches.

Stepping into the bathroom, she peeled off her clothes and pulled back the shower screen so that she could get inside with Connor. He greeted her with a warm kiss and pulled her into his arms.

"Mm, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Thought I'd help you get cleaned up." Abby smiled. Her fingertips traced the edge of the cut above his eye, but he brushed them away.

"I have a better idea!" Connor's mouth was on hers and then she found herself being pushed against the cold tiles. He was rough, and it was over in a matter of moments before Abby had even got properly aroused. Something was bothering Connor; this was not like him at all. The last time this had happened it was because he blamed himself for losing the food they'd been storing for weeks in the Cretaceous when their den got flooded.

He clung onto her, his face twisted as if in some kind of pain and then he released her; breathing hard.

"I'm sorry, I just..."

Abby stroked his hair. "What's wrong?"

"Last night. I should've been here I should've done things your way."

"Doesn't matter now, Connor. You're here now, that's what counts." She rested her head on his chest. She always felt better when Connor was close by. They held each other in silence for several long minutes, allowing the jet of water from the shower to cleanse them of the morning's events.

Suddenly, Abby pulled away. "Jack!" Connor glared at her. "Jack; the detectives said they'd tried calling him but he wasn't answering his phone. I need to tell him, Connor. He should know." She pulled back the shower screen and grabbed her bathrobe from the back of the door.

Connor followed a few moments later and listened as she had a conversation with someone on the phone who obviously wasn't Jack. When she put the phone down, Connor looked at her questioningly.

"That was Jack's flat mate," she said in response. "He hasn't seen him for weeks."

"Off on one of his 'travels' again?" Connor sighed. "How much do you think he owes this time?"

"Why do you always assume the worst of him?" Abby snapped.

"Because it's always something bad where he's concerned, Abby!"

Abby sighed and angrily flicked through the numbers on her phone. She knew Connor was right; Jack had got very good at disappearing when things got a bit difficult, and he would more often than not turn up on Abby's doorstep expecting her to bail him out. Sooner or later he'd be in touch; Abby just wanted him to know before he turned up. His mobile number, as she suspected it would, went straight to his voicemail service. She left a message telling him to call her as soon as he could and then hung up.

-o-

The next couple of days passed uneventfully. Jack eventually called Abby and she gave him the facts about Ste's murder. He made a comment about wanting to find whoever had done it and shaking their hand as a thank you – he got an earful from Abby, but deep down she agreed with him. Whoever had killed Ste had done them both a favour.

Just as Abby and Connor were about to leave for the ARC, Abby's mobile rang. It was the one of the detectives in charge of the murder case wanting to speak to both of them further. They made arrangements to go into the police station as soon as they could, and after letting Lester know what was happening, they drove there.

"I don't see what else we could possibly tell them that we haven't already," Connor sighed.

"It's probably just formality. Maybe they need to record our statements or something. I don't know how these things work, Connor!" Abby snapped at him. This whole thing was putting a strain on the both of them and neither of them had been sleeping properly; especially Connor. He was like a coiled spring getting tighter and tighter, and she feared what would happen when he couldn't take any more.

They announced themselves at the front desk of the police station, and a few moment later DS Appleby appeared. "Thank you both for coming in so quickly. There's just a few further questions I need to ask you as some new information has come to light during the course of our investigation."

Abby glanced at Connor nervously and he reached for her hand; squeezing it reassuringly. "Anything to help. We just want to put all this to bed so we can get on with our lives," Connor said.

"Good. Now, if I could speak with you first, Miss Maitland. If you wait here, Mr Temple... Katie, could you get this gentleman a coffee whilst he waits?" He indicated for Abby to follow him into the interview room, leaving Connor in the reception area looking concerned.

DS Appleby pulled out a chair for Abby and she sat down. He started a tape recorder, said a few legal things and then addressed Abby directly. "Miss Maitland... Abigail?... Is it OK to call you that?"

"It's Abby. Ste was the only person who called me Abigail outside of school – I hate it."

"OK, Abby. I want you to think back to the afternoon that Ste approached you in the supermarket and you went for coffee. I imagine that meeting was a little tense?"

Abby nodded. "Connor didn't think I should meet him, but I needed to... I thought it might help me to move on. Then he asked me for money and I realised I'd made a mistake."

"Connor and Ste argued didn't they?"

Abby stared at the detective. How did he know that? They hadn't mentioned that in their previous interview. "Yes, they had an argument."

"We have a couple of eye-witnesses, including the owner of the tea-shop. He says Connor appeared extremely aggressive and he was worried there was going to be a fight, until you seemed to calm them down. Is that correct, Abby?"

Abby nodded. "Connor just flipped that's all; he can be a little over protective of me sometimes. We've been through some difficult times together recently. He'd been listening to the conversation and ..." She stopped. How was she going to explain how Connor had heard the conversation?

"Listening? You were wearing a wire?"

"I'm sure you're aware from your investigations that Connor and I work for a government agency within the Home Office. I can't explain the nature of our work for security reasons but..."

"Yes, I'm aware that both of your files are classified. Was this conversation recorded? Would you be able to release the recording to us? It may be of importance." DS Appleby leaned back in his chair. "I can always apply to the Home Office if necessary."

Abby felt sick. If she refused to hand over the recording, they'd try and obtain it anyway so there was no point hiding it. She closed her eyes and heard Connor's voice in her head - "_Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill him_." If the eye-witnesses in the shop had heard that too... oh god! This was why the detective had called both of them back in. "I'm sure Jess Parker, our technical support officer will be able to download the recording for you. I'll call her as soon as we're done here."

"Thank you. During that altercation between Connor and Ste, did Connor threaten to kill him?"

"No, he didn't." Abby was trying very hard to remain calm, but the anger inside was welling up. "If you're trying to suggest that Connor..."

"Where was Connor that night?" The detective tapped his pen impatiently on the table. "Was he home with you?"

"He was out with his friend, Duncan. They had a few too many drinks and then Connor stayed overnight there." Abby could hear her voice faltering. "I'm sure Duncan will confirm that for you."

"Thank you, Abby. I'm sure he will and we can close this matter. That'll be all for now." He spoke into the tape recorder to indicate he was terminating the interview, and then stood up to guide Abby from the room. He followed her out, and asked Connor to come through.

"Everything OK, Abby?" Connor said as he passed her.

She nodded and tried to raise a smile. She looked at him and had to stop herself from hugging him. "Just tell the truth, Connor. That's all that matters." As he disappeared into the interview room, Abby slumped down onto a chair and buried her head in her hands. Was this actually happening? She'd had a niggling doubt about where Connor had been that night, but killing Ste? Connor just wasn't capable when it came down to it. He'd hated killing fish for them to eat in the Cretaceous, so killing another human being would be completely unthinkable.

Pulling herself together, she called Lester and explained why they needed Jess to try and get a copy of the conversation from Connor's black box. He'd sighed and said he'd get Jess onto it straight away and have her email it to the detective. She could almost picture him pinching the bridge of his nose as he often did when he was unhappy about a situation he couldn't do anything about. Part of her had hoped he'd get the Minister to step in and pull rank like he had when Danny had arrested Connor – but that was whilst performing an ARC related mission; this was entirely different. She sensed there would be a reprimand too; using ARC equipment for personal use and putting them in a vulnerable position.

Now all she could do was wait for Connor to complete his interview so they could go home.

-o-

"I ask you again, Mr Temple. Where were you on the night of the 15th?" DS Appleby was growing impatient with Connor.

"I told you, I met my friend Duncan, we had a few drinks and I ended up sleeping on his sofa."

"How did you get the cut on your forehead? When we came to your flat to inform Miss Maitland of her Step-father's murder, you had a fresh cut to your forehead that was still bleeding, and you had the appearance of someone that had either been sleeping rough or had been in a fight of some kind."

Connor swallowed nervously. "I'd had one too many and fell over on our way back to Duncan's," he said quietly.

"Really? You were with Duncan all night? He'll back up this story will he?"

Connor closed his eyes and had to concede defeat. "No. He won't be able to. I left his place about 11pm with the intention of going back to my flat."

"But you took a little detour didn't you?" The detective leaned back in his chair. Connor remained silent, but his heart was pounding hard in his chest. "I need an answer Mr Temple. Where did you go instead of going home?"

"I ran into Ste. I guess the alcohol made me a little braver than usual and I had an argument with him. It got a bit heated, and a car pulled up and asked if they needed to call the police. After that, Ste suggested we took the argument back to the privacy of the room he was staying in." Connor looked down at his feet. He knew how bad this was beginning to sound.

"That would be about 11:30pm? That fits in with the CCTV footage we have from the B&B."

Connor nodded. He realised the detective had known he'd been with Ste all along. "And in that case, you'll also see that I left about 15 minutes later."

"That is true. 15 minutes is plenty of time to commit a murder, Mr Temple."

"What? Are you saying that I killed Ste?" Connor looked up, open- mouthed and shaking, both in anger and fear.

"Tell me what happened in that room."

"I told him to stay away from Abby; he'd ruined her life once and she's just getting herself back on track, she doesn't need him back in it. We argued, he tried to hit me and I lost my footing because I was a little worse for wear from the drink. I hit my head on the corner of the desk and we both panicked. I left shortly after and that's the truth, I swear!" His eyes were beginning to sting, but he was determined not to cry.

DS Appleby picked up the phone and asked for his colleague to come in. Connor recognised him as the other detective that had come to the flat that morning.

"You left shortly before midnight with a nasty cut to your head having banged your head. Why didn't you go home or to the hospital?" DS Appleby said.

Connor shook his head; it just felt like he was digging a bigger hole for himself the more he spoke, but he couldn't lie either. "You've not seen Abby in a bad mood," he tried to laugh but saw the stern faces of the two detectives and stopped. "She was already angry with me for not letting her handle things her way... if I'd gone home in that state, she'd have asked too many questions... I fell asleep on a bench in the park and only woke up when a dog came running up to me and started to lick me."

"I see," DC Walton said. "So what you're saying is that you lied previously when you said you'd stayed the night at your friend's; you were the last person to see Mr Armstrong alive, you admit to arguing with him and getting into a scuffle during which you were injured, and then you left... spending the night asleep in the local park before going home?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying!" Connor said.

"And no-one else saw you in the park who can back up your story?" DS Appleby said.

Connor shook his head miserably. "You just have to take my word for it."

DS Appleby sniffed. "Arrest him."

Connor's mouth dropped open as the DC took his wrists and placed handcuffs on them. "Connor James Temple, I am arresting you for the suspected murder of Mr Stephen Armstrong on the evening of the 15th August 2011. You do not have to say anything, but anything you do say can and will be used..."

Connor didn't hear the rest. It felt like his entire world had just collapsed around him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Not mine, no copyright intended**

**A/N: As always, a big thank you to those who have taken the time to leave a comment. Connor shaped cookies are welcomed to feed the muse, as are comments and love..**

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><p>"Arrested?" Lester paced around the office then sat down with a bump shaking his head in disbelief. "For murder? Connor Temple?"<p>

"I wish it wasn't true," Abby sighed. "I can't believe they'd even think he was capable..." She swallowed down her tears, and Lester silently handed her a box of tissues from his desk which she took gratefully.

"I've been on to the Minister," Lester said, taking control again after his initial shock. "He's seeking out a good lawyer but as this is a personal matter rather than ARC related, he's not able to intervene any further sadly."

"I appreciate that, and I'm sure Connor will be glad of the legal assistance."

"The whole thing is completely ridiculous. Anyone who even vaguely knows Connor will realise he's not a murderer. The only thing he's guilty of is being a complete idiot!" Lester said, then he saw the look on Abby's face. "Sorry, I'm not helping am I?" He attempted to put a comforting arm around her, but backed off realising he really wasn't comfortable with that kind of thing. "Look, I'll get Jess to make us both a cup of tea whilst we wait for the Minister to get back to us with the details of the lawyer." He picked up the phone and asked Jess to bring in some drinks and then smiled awkwardly at Abby. Jess would be so much better at the sympathy then he was.

He was right; as soon as Jess saw Abby she gave her a tight hug, and Abby finally let her tears flow properly. Lester discretely set his phone to divert so that the Minister's call would go directly to his mobile and slid out of the office, closing the door to give the two girls some privacy.

-o-

Alan Whitlock was a lawyer with ten years experience; five of those working for the Government handling delicate cases involving politicians or other officials. He came highly recommended, and wasted no time in getting the details of the case from Abby. She wasn't sure whether she liked him or not as he opened his laptop up. He oozed confidence – or was it arrogance? Abby supposed that was a good thing but men in suits un-nerved her, especially lawyers after her own experiences in court. He couldn't have been that much older than Matt, but clearly the stress of his work was ageing him, his blonde hair was beginning to thin on top and the lines around his steel grey eyes were not just from tiredness. He made lots of notes during the hour he and Abby chatted and then said he would go and see Connor.

"How long will they hold him for?" Abby asked eventually.

"24 hours without actually having to charge him, but a magistrate can get that extended up to 96 hours if they want further questioning. This being a murder enquiry, it's likely they'll be granted the full extension."

Abby closed her eyes. Four days. Poor Connor could be held in a police cell for four whole days all alone. "And then?"

"They either have to formally charge him, or let him go. From what you've told me, the evidence against him is purely circumstantial and that isn't enough for a conviction." Whitlock placed his notes into his briefcase. "Unless they have some forensic evidence that we're not aware of yet, this should hopefully be a case of 'when' they release him, not 'if'."

It didn't sound so bad when he put it that way, but four days was a long time and Connor would go crazy in that time – he was already wound up by the whole thing and this would be the final straw for him. When he was under stress, he had a tendency to give in to anything, just to get people off his back and leave him alone. She could usually sort him out, but this time he was completely on his own. Her biggest fear was that he'd not fight, and would eventually find himself believing that perhaps he had done it. They'd pounce on him, lock him up and throw away the key – forget justice, the police would have a conviction and the public would be reassured that there wasn't a murderer on the loose.

"I'll take care of his interests, Abby," Whitlock said, as if reading her mind. "Right, I'd better go and see him and start putting the case together. Any messages for him?"

"Just tell him I love him."

Whitlock nodded and left. Abby felt sick; she hated having to rely on a stranger to sort out a problem and she hated not being able to see Connor.

-o-

Whitlock had enough experience to know an innocent man when he saw one, and Connor was a textbook example. When they brought him into the interview room his head was down, his shoulders slumped and he practically shuffled rather than walk. He was resigned to his fate already after just a few hours in custody. That was a concern.

"Is it possible for the handcuffs to be removed for the duration of the interview?" Whitlock asked the custody officer. "You can lock us in if you're concerned he'll run, but I don't think he's a danger do you?" He nodded in Connor's direction.

Connor's cuffs were removed and he rubbed his wrists, smiling gratefully at the lawyer. "Can we also have some coffee? Connor, how do you take yours?"

"Um... white... no sugar."

The officer left, and Whitlock held out his hand for Connor to shake. "Alan Whitlock, Home Office lawyer. James Lester requested my assistance."

"Thank god!" Connor gave a huge sigh of relief. "You're going to get me out, right?"

"It's not quite that straight forward, Connor... it is OK to call you Connor isn't it? Abby said you'd prefer that to Mr Temple, I hate formalities too."

He nodded. "You've spoken to Abby? How is she? They wouldn't even let me say goodbye to her when they..."

"She's fine; worried about you of course. She said to tell you she loves you." Coffees were brought in, and Whitlock waited until the officer had left the room again before he continued. "How are you bearing up? Are you being treated well?"

"I'm not being beaten or anything if that's what you mean," Connor said, trying to raise a smile. "It's not the Hilton is it?"

"Do you smoke?" Whitlock held out a packet of cigarettes for Connor. He shook his head and Whitlock put them back in his pocket. "Right, if you haven't been telling the truth up to now, this is where you start being honest. I have to know if I'm going to build a case for you. Did you do it?"

"No!" Connor said, half angrily, half miserably.

"Thought so, and if it helps you any, Abby doesn't think you did it either and I guess she knows you better than anyone." He pulled out his notes and a laptop. "She's filled me in with pretty much everything, except the actual events of that night that led to your arrest. I gather your friend Duncan couldn't back up your alibi?"

Connor swallowed down a long gulp of his coffee; it was bitter and he wished he'd asked for some sugar now. He grimaced and put the flimsy plastic cup on the desk. "I lied about staying at Duncan's."

"And no-one can account for your whereabouts?"

Connor shook his head and explained what had actually happened. "I couldn't tell Abby I'd gone against her wishes could I? If I'd just left well alone and listened to her in the first place, I wouldn't be in this situation!"

"OK, so your initial story was a lie – they might see that as trying to cover up and could use it against you. We'll have to be ready for that." Whitlock scribbled some notes down, then leaned back.

"So, I've made things worse?" Connor sniffed.

"No, just perhaps a little more awkward but nothing we can't get round. They need more than what they have to charge you; even the forensics will just confirm your story that you were in his room and that you had a scuffle."

The door opened and a uniformed police officer stood there, alongside DC Walton. "Your time is up, Mr Whitlock."

Whitlock stood up. "Can I ask how long you intend to hold my client without charge?"

"We've applied to the Magistrate's court for an extension, and we do have until 11:30 tomorrow to interview him." DC Walton said. "We will begin the formalities at 8am, Mr Whitlock. We'll see you then." He moved to one side to allow Whitlock to leave.

"Connor, try to hold on and stay strong. I'll be here at 7:30 to go through everything with you," he said. He watched as the police officer placed Connor's handcuffs back on and made him stand up to lead him back to the cell. He just hoped he could get Connor out of this situation as quickly as possible because four days was going to break him.

-o-

It was a long, sleepless night. The bed in the cell was barely wide enough, the blanket scratchy and the pillow hard. Some time during the night, a couple of drunks were brought in and put in the opposite cell. They were shouting and banging on the door, and the pillow wouldn't block out the noise. Connor lifted his wrist to see what time it was, but then realised that they'd taken his watch off him. That was the final nail in his coffin; he buried his head in his pillow, placed his arms over his head and let out an anguished cry. Abby had given him that watch for his birthday and the only time he took it off was to shower. It was his only connection to her. Right now, he wished he'd just left everything alone and let her handle things the way she'd wanted to. If he had, he'd be safely tucked up beside her instead of here all alone.

By the time the warden came in to bring him some breakfast, Connor's eyes felt like they were on fire. He could barely open them, and his head felt like it didn't belong on his body. He had a feeling his puppy dog look wouldn't work on the warden in the same way it worked on Abby when he was feeling low and sat up.

"When you've eaten, there's a change of clothes for you and you can go and take a shower before you meet with your lawyer."

Connor took the tray gratefully and began to force the toast down. He really didn't feel like eating, but he could hear Abby's voice nagging him and telling him that 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day'. He'd never really bothered with breakfast until he moved in with Abby. She was constantly trying to get him to be healthier, and she'd won to a certain extent anyway. He still sneaked out for a burger with Matt occasionally on a Friday . Actually, was it Friday today? Abby would be at her yoga class now and he should be waiting for Jess to pick him up to go to the ARC. That made him think about Abby again and he wiped his dampening cheek.

-o-

Abby hadn't slept either. She couldn't get Connor out of her mind; how long would it be before the police would let him go? How good was this lawyer that the Minister had got for him? Who had killed her Step-father? She pulled the duvet around her and hugged the t-shirt that belonged to Connor she'd found on the bathroom floor. For once, she was pleased he hadn't put it into the laundry basket; she needed to smell his scent close to her.

As she'd tossed and turned in bed, she thought about the day's events. Whitlock had called in to see her on his way to his hotel and filled her in – She shook her head; Connor could be so stupid at times. Why had he lied about staying at Duncan's? Did he really think she'd be that angry at him? She sighed and closed her eyes, remembering that afternoon. She had been pretty angry with him for not respecting her wishes to do things the way she wanted – that's why he'd lied. Sometimes she was her own worst enemy; pushing away the people who cared about her the most. If she'd not been so hot headed about it, Connor wouldn't have felt the need to lie and now he wouldn't be in this situation. Still, in one way it was probably a good thing that they didn't have to involve Duncan – he wouldn't be able to handle a police interview and he'd run a mile.

She played with some ideas in her head about how she could help Connor – but nothing would work The police could still say that it was possible he had committed the murder during the fifteen or so minutes he'd been in Ste's room. Then it hit her. Someone at the B&B had to have heard something or seen someone behaving oddly? Surely the police would have already asked those questions? She had to know for herself.

They weren't supposed to use their Home Office ID cards. They'd only been issued them as part of the cover story for the ARC just in case they were ever asked by officials when they were out in the field. Even the police would back off if Matt or Becker flashed their card at them. Abby knew she'd probably get into trouble, but it would be worth it if she got just one person who could help Connor.

As soon as the reception at the B&B was open, Abby called in and asked to speak to the manager, flashing her Home Office ID card. The receptionist looked nervous and called the manager to come down.

Mr Henshaw seemed annoyed at being interrupted but his face softened when Abby introduced herself and told him she was working on the murder investigation.

"Anything I can do to assist, Miss Maitland," he said.

"I'll need a list of all the guests that were staying here on that night, along with their contact details."

He muttered something about data protection, but Abby snapped back that this was a murder investigation and if he didn't co-operate she'd have him arrested Thankfully, it was threat enough and he quickly went through his records for that night and printed her off a list of 10 names and addresses.

"Thank you, you've no idea how much of a help this is," she said.

"I gave all this information to the detectives when they came on that first day, along with a copy of the CCTV footage. I just want to get my business back to normal," Henshaw grumbled. "The forensics team are still in that room and I daren't take in any more guests whilst this is going on. People come here to relax, and they can't do that with police all over the place!"

"It'll be over with soon. They already have someone in custody."

"So I hear; it was on the news this morning. Good, I hope they lock him up for good and throw away the key!"

Abby resisted the urge to punch him and forced a smile. "Innocent until proven guilty, Mr Henshaw, isn't that how the British justice system works?"

"Quite right, quite right."

Abby rolled her eyes and left, pushing the printout into her pocket. She had intended to wait until she'd got to the ARC before she'd look at the names, but she couldn't wait. As soon as she got into her car, she got the list out and glanced down the names. This wasn't going to be quite as easy as she'd thought. She should have guessed that people staying at a B&B wouldn't be locals; there was a couple from Glasgow, another from Cardiff, a man from Coventry... and a man from Brighton. Abby stared at the name; her heart in her mouth. She knew who it was; she'd seen that name a few times. Samuel Foster. Sure, it was a common enough name but she just knew it was too much of coincidence and suddenly it all fell into place. She knew who had killed Ste.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Not mine, no copyright intended**

**A/N: Thanks for all the comments and love so far... I hope this conclusion is satisfactory and that the identity of the murderer is not a disappointment lol.**

**It's confession time... Who is Samuel Foster and does Abby really know who killed her Step-father?**

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><p>Abby had shut herself away in the office she used next to the menagerie. She needed to be alone to think about her next move and the implications of her actions. She should be at the police station; telling them what she knew and then they'd go and find him. Connor would be released by the end of the day and wouldn't have to spend another night in a police cell un-necessarily. But it wasn't as straight forward as that.<p>

She'd already broken her family once when she told that teacher what Ste had done to her; this would tear them apart completely with no chance of repair. She had to give him a chance; the benefit of the doubt – what was it she'd said to the manager of the B&B? "Innocent until proven guilty"

She picked up the phone and called Jack. He sounded unusually perky; things were obviously going well for him at the moment. "I need to speak to you; face to face."

"It's a bit difficult at the moment, Abs. I'm with..."

"I don't care how difficult it is!" Abby hissed. "This is important. Does the name Samuel Foster mean anything to you?"

There was a silence on the other end of the phone. "I thought so. Whatever it is you're doing or whoever you're with is not important. An innocent man is in jail right now accused of murdering Ste, and you're the only one that can help him. It's time to face up to the consequences, Jack."

"Abby...I can't.."

"If you're not here in an hour, then I'm going to the police myself. Things will be so much easier for you if you go to them yourself rather than them having to come and find you." Abby's voice sounded calm but inside she was anything but calm. Her worst fears had just been confirmed.

After she'd put the phone down, she felt her entire body shake. In helping Connor, she was losing Jack. Samuel Foster was the name Jack used when he was in hiding; it had been the name of a friend of their father who had passed away when Abby was eleven. She left a brief voicemail for Whitlock, simply saying she had some new information that would clear Connor and could he call her as soon as he was able. She wished she could spare Connor the grilling he would be going through right now, but she needed to give Jack the opportunity to turn himself in.

She'd agreed to meet Jack in the park. Part of her feared he wouldn't show and that she'd have to turn him in herself, but he came. His face was ashen and his eyes red and puffy from crying.

"They've got someone in custody for it?" he mumbled.

"Connor."

"What? Abby..." Jack sat down on the bench next to her. "How can they think he did it?"

"Connor got himself into an argument with Ste and was seen on CCTV with him at the B&B. There's no way he did it though. Please tell me I'm wrong and it wasn't you?"

Jack swallowed and looked down at his feet. "I hated him too, Abby. What he did to you, what he did to me, mum..."

"Jack," Abby said, placing her hand on his shoulder. He shrugged her away.

"He was only ever tried for raping you; he was never punished for the months of abuse and the beatings... and then for everything that happened to us afterwards. Years of being passed from pillar to post; in and out of different foster homes. You only had to put up with it for a couple of years, but I had four more years of it. He ruined our lives, Abby, and I've waited ten whole years to give him what he deserved." Abby felt Jack's body shake and tense up. He choked down a sob and then looked up at her. "I'm sorry."

"You've let him ruin our lives again, you idiot!" Abby sobbed.

After a silence, Jack shifted. "I didn't plan to kill him, just hurt him enough so that he understood what it felt like to be beaten. When he showed up after he got out of prison, I wanted to do it then – I should have. Then he started going on about you and how he regretted what he'd done and my blood boiled. I knew he'd come looking for you eventually once I told him you had money... so I came up here and waited for him, ready to pounce."

"It was you that was watching our flat?" Abby said. It made sense now.

Jack nodded. "I got a bit too close I suppose. When I saw Connor putting up the cameras, I realised I'd spooked you and backed off. By some twist of fate, Ste ended up checking into the same B&B as me. All those years of hating him, Abby... I just lost it."

She took his hand and held it tightly, forcing him to look her in the face. "You have to tell the police, Jack."

"I can't Abby! I can't go to prison!" He stood up, and for a moment Abby thought he was going to run. "You have to help me!"

"Not this time, Jack. This isn't like running away from someone that you owe money to. For once in your life, accept responsibility for what you've done!" She pulled on his hand and made him sit down again. "The lawyer that is working for Connor is good; I'm sure he can help you too."

"And if I don't go to the police? What then?"

"Then you'll leave me with no choice, Jack. I'm not going to sit back and watch Connor take the blame for this when I know the truth." She bit down on her bottom lip. "Believe me, Jack. It'll be so much easier if you turn yourself in."

"I'm sorry, Abby." Jack stood up again, his body trembling and fear spreading across his face. "They'll realise it wasn't Connor; he'll be OK... but I can't..." He shook his head, and then to Abby's horror he ran.

It took her a moment to actually register that he'd gone, so by the time she'd got to her feet to give chase, he was already several metres ahead. "Jack!" she shouted. "Don't do this!" He didn't even turn around; he was determined to escape from her.

Abby ran at full pelt. She knew she was considerably fitter than Jack and should have no trouble catching up, but he did have quite a head start on her. He was climbing the fence at the perimeter of the park and heading towards the main road. Abby changed her route; heading instead for the main gate. She'd be able to intercept him at the crossing. When she reached the gate, she found it to be more awkward than she'd anticipated. It was deliberately set so that small children couldn't get through; it had to be pushed one way as you moved round, and then pushed back before you could get completely through. Abby groaned in frustration; it would have been quicker to just follow Jack and have climbed the fence like he did.

As she manoeuvred herself through the gateway, she could see the traffic lights change to red, and Jack dashed across the road in front of the stationary vehicles. By the time she reached the crossing, the lights were changing and she had to dodge cars that were beginning to move. A couple sounded their horns at her, and one guy leaned out of his window and hurled abuse at her. She ignored them; Jack was heading towards the crowded market place and if she didn't catch up with him she'd lose him.

Jack ran between two shops and down a rampway that led into the market area. Abby followed, hoping it wouldn't be that hard to spot him amongst the shoppers – surely at this time of day it would be elderly people or young mothers with pushchairs and small children; he'd stick out like a sore thumb. But as she reached the first group of stalls, she realised she'd already lost him.

She remained at the market for another 20 minutes, looking around in the hope she'd see Jack and persuade him to go to the police, but deep down she knew it was pointless. Jack was a master at disappearing; he'd been doing it most of his life. If he didn't want to be found, then no-one would be able to. Giving up, she made her way slowly back to her car with her head spinning. What now?

Grateful that she'd parked in a quiet street away from the crowds, Abby sat with her head buried in her hands. Jack had always expected Abby to bail him out of trouble. At school, he used to get her to beat up the bullies that made his life a misery; except it turned out that Jack had been stealing from their lunchboxes and that was why they threatened him. Even after he'd left school, Jack seemed to attract trouble and then go running to Abby for help. Connor was the only person who had ever questioned her on it – why did she keep helping Jack? She'd never really thought about it, but on reflection she realised it was because she was afraid of losing him. He was the only family she had left. That was what made this so hard.

Perhaps Connor would be OK? Whitlock had said they didn't have enough evidence to convict him, so he'd be released without charge. But there would always be an element of doubt pointed at him; and could she be around him knowing that it was Jack that had committed the crime he was being accused of? It would put a huge strain on their relationship; maybe it would even split them up. Was Jack worth losing Connor for?

She reached into her pocket to get her car keys, and her wallet fell out onto the floor. She bent down to pick it up and it fell open, revealing the two treasured photographs she kept tucked away; one of Connor and one of Jack. She loved both of them and couldn't even begin to think about losing either one of them. But she had to do the right thing; no matter how much it hurt.

The police station was only a few minutes drive away. She parked up and sat for a moment staring at the doorway. This was it. Once inside, there would be no turning back. She had to tell the truth and condemn her own brother to a prison sentence. Taking a deep breath and blinking away tears, she began to walk towards the entrance.

"Abby," a familiar voice said.

"Jack!" Part of her wanted to hug him, another part wanted to punch him hard. "Does this mean that..."

He nodded, and his face crumpled as he began to cry. "You win, Abby."

It didn't feel like winning to Abby. She was about to lose her brother. She clung onto him tightly and let her tears stream down her face as he buried his head in her arms. In her heart, she knew this would be the last time she'd be able to hold him like this for a long time and she clung on, memorising the way it felt.

-o-

Abby had to admire Whitlock. He'd already spent three hours with Connor for his interview and then was called out by another detective. He was briefed on the new situation and told to go and tell Connor before then being asked to sit in on Jack's interview as he gave a full statement.

She sat in the waiting room, not sure where else to go. How long before Connor would be released? Surely they couldn't keep him any longer now that Jack had confessed? It turned out that they had to wait until Jack had finished and they were satisfied with his story. It took another hour before Abby finally saw Connor's relieved face peering around the door and she ran over to hug him.

"I thought I was never going to see you again!" he sobbed, squeezing her hard.

"Don't be so dramatic!" Abby laughed. "Besides, I think you would've looked quite sexy in a prison uniform!" She kissed him, savouring the taste of his mouth and realising just how much she'd missed it.

"Don't even go there!" Connor took her hand and tugged it. "Let's get out of here, eh. I can't wait to see the back of this place. Can we get burgers on the way home?"

"Whatever you want, Connor."

As they began to make their way out, Connor put his arm around her shoulders. "They said someone had confessed to doing it?" Abby just nodded and felt her stomach tighten. "At least this is over now and we can get on with our lives again. We should go down to the coast for a few days."

"It was Jack." Abby said quietly. They stopped walking and Connor looked at her.

"Your brother?"

"Yes. This is far from over, Connor." She leaned into him and allowed his protective arms to fold around her like they had so many times before.

-o-

_Epilogue_

Connor walked slowly from the court building and made his way towards the car. The late Autumn sunshine warmed his face, and on any other day it would make him smile. He was counting his blessings and thanking whoever up there was looking out for him, but celebrating on a day like today was wrong.

It could so easily have been him in there; facing questioning, having his past dragged up for everyone to hear and then waiting for his fate to be decided by a group of strangers. If Abby hadn't decided to go looking for answers herself, they would never have even suspected Jack and the finger of blame would very likely still be pointing at him. But Connor was putting his own celebrations on hold; how could he be happy when Abby was so miserable?

This whole thing was tearing her apart. He'd tried so hard to make her feel better, but nothing he could do or say would change the fact that she had effectively lost the only remaining family member she had. They'd argued over silly things; the stress of the trial getting to both of them and making them snap at each other. At one point, Abby had even moved into the spare room to sleep – she said she needed to be alone to get her head around what was happening. Connor had spent a sleepless night listening to her sobs, unsure as to whether he should go in and comfort her or not. She'd said she wanted to be alone and he had to respect that, no matter how hard it was. After three nights he couldn't stand it any longer and he silently slid himself into the bed next to her and curled his arms around her. He'd expected to be pushed away, but it turned out he'd actually done the right thing for a change.

Whitlock had very kindly agreed to take on Jack's case, and his legal fees were covered by the Home Office. Abby had resisted at first; she was proud and stubborn and said that she and Jack were perfectly capable of fighting their own battles, but Lester had talked her round – apparently the Home Office were still very keen to make sure Abby and Connor were being taken care of after their year trapped in the past. Whitlock had managed to get Jack's charge reduced to manslaughter on the grounds of what Ste had put him through as a child. Listening to the various reports was extremely painful, and Connor knew Abby had nightmares as that terrifying part of her life got brought up again and again.

Today, after several long weeks, Jack was finally sentenced. They'd appealed for leniency and Jack was officially labelled "a troubled young man" before being sentenced to ten years imprisonment. It wasn't as bad as Abby had been preparing herself for, but it was still a devastating blow. Connor had tried to hold her; tell her everything would be OK, but she blanked him. All she wanted was to go to Jack.

That's where she was now. The judge had allowed her a few minutes with him before he would be taken away. Connor thought it best that he left them to it. He couldn't even begin to comprehend what their 'goodbye' would be like; he was an only child and didn't know what it was like to have a sibling. He could only offer sympathy and love – something he had bucketloads of when it came to Abby.

He glanced up into the rear view mirror and saw her standing on the steps by the door, hesitating for a moment before taking a deep breath and slowly walking down them. Even from here he could see that she'd been crying. It was not a good sign; Abby rarely cried if she thought others could see because she'd always believed it was a sign of weakness. He knew she would hate for him to make a fuss in public, so he waited for her to get into the car.

"Alright?" he said, knowing it was a stupid question.

Abby remained silent for a moment, staring ahead of her and lost in her own thoughts. Connor reached over and squeezed her hand and she finally turned to look at him. "I just want to get away from here, Connor."

Connor nodded and started the car. "Where do you want to go?"

"I don't know. Just drive and don't stop until..." She sniffed and wiped her face. "Anywhere, Connor. I just don't want to be here."

Connor understood. He knew exactly where to go...


End file.
